Ball game apparatus



Fob. 18, 1969 H. MOTZ BALL ems APPARATUS Filed m.- 22. 1965 PIC-13.3

- INVENTOR. awn-2T m0 T2 rm/Mn United States Patent 3,428,322 BALL GAME APPARATUS Herbert Motz, Parkhill Lane, Escondido, Calif. 92025 Filed Oct. 22, 1965, Ser. No. 501,318 U.S. Cl. 273-123 Int. Cl. A63f 7/00; A63d 13/00 4 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE There are several ball games known in the art that require moving the ball by cue sticks and the like. However, most of such games either fail to provide a stable flat surface on which to move the balls or use heavy and expensive construction. The ball game of this invention uses a simple and inexpensive construction to provide a pool table type surface for moving the balls from stationary to stationary positions with a degree of controlled movement of the balls. The depressions in the flat surface are arranged to provide a contest in first moving the balls in a manner to align them three in a row.

It is therefore an object of this invention to provide a new and improved ball game apparatus.

It is another object of this invention to provide a new and improved ball game apparatus that uses inexpensive and light weight construction to provide a relatively flat surface.

It is another object of this invention to provide a novel and improved ball game apparatus that uses pool cues or the like to move balls over a fiat surface and into alignment in depressions uniformly distributed over the surface.

It is another object of this invention to provide a novel and improved ball game that uses inexpensive and light weight construction to provide a fiat and level surface for long periods of use.

These and other objects will be seen from the following specification and claims in conjunction with the appended drawing in which:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of the game of this invention with a supporting table and the player shown in phantom.

FIGURE 2 is a section taken along lines 2-2 of FIGURE 1 to illustrate the construction of the platform and rim.

FIGURE 3 is a diagrammatic showing of the layout of the depressions in the platform.

Referring now to the drawing, the ball game apparatus includes a circular platform 30 having a flat upper surface 31 and a lower surface 33. The platform is integrally secured to a rim portion that has a general inverted U shape with an inner wall 32 and an outer wall 36 and a curved top 34. The outer wall 36 has a greater length than the inner wall 32 and extends a given distance below the lower surface 33 of the platform 30.

The platform has a plurality of concave depressions 22 therein that are systematically positioned and arranged across the surface of the platform 30, as illustrated in FIGURE 3. The depressions have a round shape and are capable of receiving and retaining balls 24 therein in the play of the game in a manner that will be more particularly described hereinafter. The depressions 22 have a lower convex surface 23 that projects a given 3,428,322 Patented Feb. 18, 1969 distance below surface 33 which distance is equal to the given distance of the extension of outer wall 36 below the surface 33. Thus it may be seen that when the platform 30 is placed on a substantially flat surface, the lower depressions 23 provide a uniform supporting surface for the platform 30 across the entire area of the platform 30; and the lower portion of the outer wall 36 provides an outer circular support for the platform 30 around its circumference. While platform 30 will normally be constructed of light weight sheet material, such as plastic, thin gauge sheet metal or the like, the upper surface 31 will have a flat level surface because of the uniformity of support by surfaces 23 and 37.

The game uses balls 24 that are to be moved over the flat surface 31 by a short pool cue 26 or the like. To give a controlled roll to the balls 24 and to insure that the balls retain a given position, the surface 31 is covered by flock or the like 39, that may be made of any type of suitable material. The flock 39 is secured to the upper surface 30 by cementing, gluing or the like.

The balls at the start of each game are positioned on recesses 28. The recesses are sufiiciently recessed in the flock 39 to restrict movement of the balls therefrom. The cups 22 have a shape sufficient to retain the balls in the expected manner and yet have sutficient depth to provide the support 23 as previously described.

The game may be played by 2, 3, or 4 players, with each player having their four balls originally positioned in starting recesses 28. The object of the game is for one player to place three (3) of his balls of one color in a row of three apertures, such as are outlined in FIGURE 3. The opponent tries to block the effort of the other players to align their balls in the three apertures while at the same time trying to plan his shots so as to place three of his balls in a row. Each player gets one shot per turn. The center hole of a prospective alignment of three must be filled before any of the other two holes in a line may be filled by the given players balls. The balls, of course, are played from wherever they lie and it may be understood that the level surface of the table is essential to the playing of the game and holding the balls in their last position.

Thus I have provided a simple, inexpensive and easy to construct game that employs some of the aspects of playing pool to make a very interesting game. The game is so constructed that it will be able to stand up over long periods of interesting play.

It should be understood that I have merely illustrated a preferred embodiment of my invention and that, of course, other embodiments are contemplated Within the scope of the claims hereinafter set forth.

Having described my invention, I claim:

1. A pool game having a fiat upper surface that is capable of being supported over its entire area on a base, comprising in combination,

a platform having a flat upper surface and a circular outer edge,

a circular rim having an inverted U shape with concentrically arranged inner and outer walls and a curved upper surface integrally connecting said walls in spaced relationship,

said upper surface of said rim being spaced above said upper surface of said platform with said inner wall being integrally connected to the entire outer edge of said platform and the lower edge of said outer wall extending below said lower platform surface a given distance to support said platform on a base at a spaced distance above the base,

said curved upper surface providing resilient biasing be tween said inner and outer walls and between said platform and the lower surface of said outer wall,

said platform having a plurality of ball shaped receiving depressions uniformly dispersed over the entire fiat upper surface of said platform,

the lower surface of said ball receiving depressions being in the same plane as the lower surface of said outer wall and contacting the base to provide a uniform support for said platform over its entire surface and thereby maintain the upper surface of said platform level with the base and in a single plane,

and said curved upper surface of said rim having a radial width that is substantially greater than the thickness of said walls.

2. A pool game as claimed in claim 1 in which,

said platform and said rim having a thickness that is substantially less than said given distance between the lower edge of said outer wall and said lower platform surface.

3. A pool game as in claim 2 in which,

said upper surface of said platform being covered with flock material to control the roll of balls on said surface.

4. A pool game as claimed in claim 3 including,

a plurality of balls and pool cues,

and said depressions being symmetrically arranged to provide a plurality of depressions that are aligned by threes.

References Cited UNlTED STATES PATENTS RICHARD C. PINKHAM, Primary Examiner. THOMAS ZACK, Assistant Examiner.

US. Cl. X.R. 

